Ten Thousand Ways To Eliminate Players
Chapter 35 - 035 Lin Bai wants to write poetry

Chapter 35: 035 Lin Bai wants to write poetry

After leaving the carpenter’s shop, Lin Bai went to the blacksmith shop, tailor shop, and pharmacy.

Being the owner of the Chef’s Divine Food Stall significantly aided his pitching efforts.

However, his economic theories, which were years ahead of the world in his mind, made many people regard him as a crazy man babbling nonsense.

Those of good temper just laughed it off. But straightforward characters would directly confront him, accusing him of showboating and corrupting the customs of Jiamucheng.

Lin Bai didn’t mind those who didn’t understand him.

Being one step ahead makes you a genius; three steps ahead makes you a madman. It was normal for these craftsmen, who stuck to traditional methods, not to understand his advanced ideas.

When Jack Ma promoted B2B, didn’t he also become the butt of the joke?

Lin Bai didn’t expect to achieve the goal of transforming Jiamucheng into an "incomplete business card" overnight. Creating a trend single-handedly is an extremely difficult task.

What he was doing now was familiarizing himself with the inhabitants of Jiamucheng and, in the process, implanting a vague concept in the minds of people from all walks of life.

When the time came, there would surely be pioneers among this group of people in whom he had planted these thoughts. That would be enough.

Building connections with strangers through a common event was also Lin Bai’s way of integrating into society.

...

After going around Jiamucheng trying to persuade people, it was already noon. As Lin Bai was walking down the road, a prompt suddenly appeared in his mind: the fruit on the Negative Emotion Tree had ripened.

On the branch, the fruit had turned from green to golden. It looked mouth-watering and had ripened half a day earlier than Lin Bai had expected.

[Ripe Spirit Fruit (Harvestable): Permanently increase spirit by 10, allowing one to maintain vigorous energy for a long time.]

A permanent increase of spirit by 10? Does that mean it’s not just the effect of drinking energy drinks anymore?

He found a secluded place and chose to harvest the fruit.

A golden fruit suddenly appeared in his palm. The invigorating aroma of the fruit kept invading his nostrils, making him feel refreshed with just a sniff.

Has it materialized? Does that mean it can be given to others now? Lin Bai scrutinized the fruit in his hand and, without hesitation, brought the fruit to his mouth.

The moment his teeth touched the skin of the fruit, sweet and dense juice flooded his mouth. It delivered an even more satisfying sensation than drinking fruit juice.

Unknowingly, the entire fruit had made its way into Lin Bai’s belly.

The exhilarating sensation made Lin Bai involuntarily close his eyes.

When he opened them again, he felt sharp and clear, and the world before his eyes seemed more distinct.

His mind was extraordinarily refreshed. The knowledge he had learned on Earth but forgotten due to the passage of time became clear again, as if he had just read it from a book.

When discussing the poetry collection with the carpenter, Lin Bai had worried. He couldn’t remember many of the ancient poems and lyrics he had learned growing up, which might prevent him from compiling a complete collection.

But now, this was great. After consuming the Spirit Fruit, he remembered everything.

"Interesting. It’s such a waste to give this great stuff to others. There’s no need to materialize it at all," Lin Bai murmured, continuing to observe the Emotional System in his mind.

After harvesting the fruit, the Negative Emotion Tree entered its second round of flowering. He didn’t have to start from a young seedling again. Considering the speed at which Lin Bai collected negative emotions, the second fruit would appear soon.

Beside the Negative Emotion Tree, another sapling had sprouted – the corresponding Positive Emotion Tree.

Compared to the continuous "+1"s popping up on the Negative Emotion Tree, the Positive Emotion Tree looked rather pathetic with its sparse "+1"s. He looked closer and realized they were all unfamiliar names.

[Joy from Er Ya; +1]

[Joy from Pillar; +1]

...

Based on the names, those providing positive emotions must be children.

While Chef’s Divine Food Stall brought troubles and worries to the adults, it purely brought joy to the children.

Whether watching the incomplete lion dance performance or singing the catchy and brainwashing tunes, children could derive boundless happiness from them.

However, the number of children was limited. Moreover, they were forgetful. After a few days, other interesting things would capture their attention.

Relying on the small amount of joy provided by children, making the Positive Emotion Tree bear fruit would take until who knows when.

To truly make the Positive Emotion Tree bear fruit, he would have to target the majority of people.

But Lin Bai had no plan to spare efforts on positive emotions for now.

First, as someone who had caused a "negative emotion disaster" in Jiamucheng, it wouldn’t be easy for him to rebuild his image.

Secondly, what the Positive Emotion Tree provided was charm.

Lin Bai felt he didn’t need that, for he considered himself quite charming. In a nutshell, he was handsome and full of charm.

The so-called charm brought by positive emotions was simply an add-on. It didn’t really matter whether he had it or not. If he happened upon it, he might pursue it, but it wasn’t worth investing too much thought.

...

With his physique enhanced by Inner Strength and his spirit improved by the Spirit Fruit, Lin Bai felt an inexhaustible strength coursing through him. He decided to strike while the iron was hot and produce the poetry collection.

After all, there was a big brother waiting to be saved inside the City Lord’s mansion, and time waits for no man.

With this in mind, Lin Bai bought some hemp paper by the roadside and returned to Chef’s Divine Food Stall.

Chef’s Divine Food Stall was bustling, not an ideal environment for creation. But the key was that Lin Bai didn’t need to create. He wasn’t a real poet; he just needed to copy.

He was better at commercial operations.

Secretly completing a poetry collection for publication wouldn’t create as much of a sensation as doing it in front of everyone. With so many people outside Chef’s Divine Food Stall, he could use them to create a buzz first. Then, he would publish it. The effect would be amazing.

...

"Master, are you going to write a poem?" Dumbelldore asked, a bewildered look on his face upon hearing Lin Bai’s request.

"Yes!" Lin Bai nodded. "Less talk, get me a table from inside. Help me grind the ink. The popularity of Chef’s Divine Food Stall isn’t strong enough. I plan to elevate the reputation of the restaurant with my poetry."

"..." Dumbelldore looked suspiciously at Lin Bai. "Master, can you actually do it?"

"Remove the ’actually’ part. There’s nothing in this world I don’t know how to do," Lin Bai urged. "Less talk, hurry up."

"Master, no offense," Dumbelldore leaned closer to Lin Bai, a confident expression on his face. "What I mean is, if you are not good at writing poetry, I can help. I have plenty of great ones stocked up in my mind, and I guarantee every one will be a classic..."

"Can you recite one about a goose?" Lin Bai glanced at him and asked.

"..." Dumbelldore was taken aback and stammered, "Master, I don’t have one about a goose. Can I change to another one? I have poems about plum blossoms, poems about snow, all are fine..."

"No need," Lin Bai snorted with laughter and shook his head. "You are obviously unlearned. Bring the table, grind the ink..."

I have a whole other world backing me, remember! Me, unlearned!?

Dumbelldore was about to retort with a poem. But he swallowed his words as they reached his lips.

He recalled the verses from his own world and turned to go inside the shop to move a table. He planned to wait for this NPC master to make a fool of himself and then step in to save the day. The effect would be much better than eagerly offering his help now...

Lin Bai might be shrewd, but he was just an AI. Perhaps the programmers had implanted poetry-writing algorithms into him, but could he really create a masterpiece? Dumbelldore didn’t believe that an NPC who came up with "You love me, I love you, Chef’s Divine Food Stall welcomes you" could write poetry. Does he even understand what poetic artistry is? If AI could write poetry, the literary world wouldn’t have thrived for millennia.

...

"The Shopkeeper of Chef’s Divine Food Stall is going to write a poem!"

"He’s writing a poem!"

"The Shopkeeper is going to write a poem."

A few children who had eavesdropped on their conversation immediately hopped and skipped off to spread the news to the crowd.

Among the spectators were many scholars. They possessed a strong sense of curiosity and were waiting here mostly with the thought of getting a close encounter with Ah Piao at night.

Hearing that Lin Bai was going to write a poem, several scholars simultaneously let out mocking laughter.

"This Shopkeeper is really playing to the gallery to the extreme!"

"An insult to literature! How could a vulgar man like him write poetry?"

"He probably doesn’t even recognize all the words! Just because he wrote a messy couplet, he thinks he can write poetry? Some people really turn themselves into a joke!"

"If he can write a poem, I’ll stand upside down at his door and eat shit for three days..."

"Same here, same here!"

...

"Quiet Night Thoughts

Before my bed, the moonlight is so bright,

It seems like frost upon the floor.

I lift my head to gaze at the bright moon,

Then bow my head..."

Before the scholars could finish their conversation, Lin Bai had already wielded his brush and finished a poem. He instructed Dumbelldore beside him, "Hang it up!"

Dumbelldore had watched intently as Lin Bai wrote the poem.

He didn’t fully understand how to appreciate poetry. But Lin Bai’s poem, though simple in its wording, seemed to paint a picture before his eyes. It conveyed a hint of artistic mood, feeling somewhat different from poetry created by an AI.

However, the final two words, "bow my head," abruptly made him uncomfortable.

Bow my head and what? So frustrating!

Remembering the couplet that was missing a word, Dumbelldore’s heart skipped a beat. He swallowed hard and asked with difficulty, "Shopkeeper, isn’t it finished yet?"

"It’s already finished," Lin Bai glanced at him. "Hang it up. This is the style of our shop. We can’t break the rules."

[Resentment from Dumbelldore; +1]